Derive vs Goodnotes
The Goodnotes alternative that checks every line of your working.
Write the way you already do. Derive finds the step where your working breaks, tells you why, and shows you the next move. On iPad, Mac, Windows and the web.
- Opens your Goodnotes files
- 7-day trial, cancel in the app
- 30-day refund
The short answer
Choose Derive if you…
- Study maths, physics, engineering or computer science and want every line of working checked
- Want a personal tutor that catches your mistakes in real time, right on the line you wrote
- Study on Windows, the web or an Android tablet as well as an iPad, and want the checking there too
- Want 3D graphs, runnable code and practice exams inside your notebook
On Android? There is no app yet, but Derive runs in your browser at web.derivenotes.com.
Derive and Goodnotes, feature by feature.
Checked against Goodnotes’ published information on 9 October 2026. Sources are listed at the foot of the page.
With a catch, named underneathDerive pricing
7 days free with a card, then billed unless you cancel. Cancel in the app any time. 30-day refund.
Where Derive pulls ahead.
01
It finds the step, not just the answer
- Checks every line against the one above
- Flags the exact step that broke
- Tutor card: why, and what to try next
- Live as you write, on iPad, Mac, Windows and web
02
Graphs and code, right in the notebook
- Lasso an equation, graph it in 2D or 3D
- Drop in a code cell and run it
- Working, graph and code on one page
03
Practice exams from your own notes
- Turns your pages into a practice test
- Marks your handwritten answers
- Built from your course, not a question bank
Where Goodnotes is better
Worth knowing before you choose.
- Costs less, with a free plan
- Huge library of planners, templates and stickers
- Live collaboration and audio synced to notes
- Mature iPad app, 25M+ monthly users (Goodnotes’ figure)
Bring every notebook with you.
- 1
Export from Goodnotes
- Share menu, a notebook or a folder
- Goodnotes format keeps the most
- PDF works too
- 2
Import into Derive
- Drop the files into Derive
- Handwriting arrives as ink
- Templates come too, all searchable
- 3
Keep writing
- Write straight onto imported pages
- New working checked as you write
Exporting makes a copy. Nothing is removed from Goodnotes, so you can keep both while you decide.
Questions
Switching from Goodnotes, answered.
Can I bring my Goodnotes notebooks into Derive?
Yes. Export them from Goodnotes in the Goodnotes format or as PDFs and import them into Derive. Handwriting from Goodnotes files comes in as ink, with your page templates, and every imported page is searchable and can be written on.
How is Derive different from Goodnotes Math Assist?
Math Assist is a solver: switch it on, write an equation, tap it, and it gives the answer, in its Apple app. Its line checking is documented inside Marketplace courses. Derive steps in live, in any notebook: it checks every line of your working against the one above, flags the step where it breaks, and explains why with a tutor card. It does that on iPad, Mac, Windows and the web.
Does Derive work on Windows and Android?
Derive has apps for iPad, Mac and Windows, and runs in the browser at web.derivenotes.com. There is no Android app yet, so on an Android tablet or Chromebook use the browser version: same notebooks, same checking, synced with your other devices.
Is Derive good for subjects other than STEM?
It is a full handwritten notebook, so you can take any notes in it. The checking, graphs, code and practice exams are built for maths, physics, engineering and computer science. If you mainly want planners and journals, Goodnotes is the better fit.
Can I turn the AI off?
Yes. Recognition and the tutor run only with your consent, and you can switch them off at any time in settings. With them off, your content is not sent to our AI providers.
How do I try it?
Start a 7-day trial. You add a card, but nothing is charged for 7 days, we email you before it ends, and cancelling is self-serve in the app. If you pay and it is not for you, email us within 30 days for a full refund.
Try it on your next problem set.
Bring your Goodnotes notebooks with you, write the way you already do, and see what Derive catches.
Start your 7-day trial7 days free with a card, then billed unless you cancel. Cancel in the app any time. 30-day refund.
Comparison checked on 9 October 2026 against Goodnotes’ published information. Products change; if something here is out of date, email matt@derivenotes.com and we will correct it. Goodnotes, and the other product names on this page, are trademarks of their respective owners. Derive Notes Pty Ltd is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by them; the names are used only to identify the products being compared.
Sources: Goodnotes: How to use Math Assist · TechRadar: Goodnotes 6 maths checking in course practice · Goodnotes: AI for Math · Goodnotes pricing · Goodnotes: Compare plans and features · Goodnotes: A guide to Goodnotes AI (credits) · Goodnotes: Introducing Goodnotes 6 (course maths checking) · Goodnotes on the App Store: AU · US · CA · NZ · Goodnotes: graph generation (June 2025) · Goodnotes: Export documents or pages · Goodnotes: platforms and usage